The Honorary Doctorate Award Ceremony for Academician Chenming Calvin Hu was held by National Chiao Tung University on April 24, 2012 (Tuesday) at Hao-Ran International Conference Hall. The Ceremony commenced at 2 pm; the conferment of degree and the shifting of tassel were performed by President Yan-Hwa Wu Lee. After the ceremony, Academician Hu gave a speech titled “Microelectronics: Into an Extra Dimension” and shared his research experience with the faculty members and students who were present.

In her speech, President Yan-Hwa Wu Lee praised Academician Chenming Calvin Hu as a forerunner and maestro in both Semiconductor Physics and the electronic component manufacturing industry. According to the President, Academician Hu has published 4 monographs and more than 900 papers, and he is in possession of more than a hundred patents in the US. “FinFET,” a 3D transmission device developed by Academician Hu back in 1999, was adopted by Intel in 2011 for the production of “Tri-Gate” chip processor. Compared with the processors a generation ago, this new processor is 37% more efficient, and can reduce electricity consumption by 50%. His design is thus recognized as a breakthrough in semiconductor technology over the past 50 years, having an enormous impact on the development of increasing miniaturization of electronic components.

With his immense contribution to the field of semiconductors, Academician Hu has received such honors as being elected an academician of the following institutions, namely, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE, 1989), the US National Academy of Engineering (1997), Academia Sinica (2004), and Chinese Academy of Science (2007), and winning international awards like R&D 100 Award (1996), UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award (1997), IEEE Jack Morton Award (1997), Sigma Xi Monie Ferst Award (The Scientific Research Society, 1998), the Outstanding Research Award of Pan Wen Yuan Foundation (Electronics and Information Technology, 1999), IEEE Solid State Circuit Award (2002), IEEE Electron Devices Society Rappaport Award (2003), IEEE Nishizawa Medal (2009), Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY ,2011), and Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award (2011).

Academician Hu has also dedicated himself to the industry. In 2001, he returned to Taiwan to serve as Chief Technology Officer in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), and was lauded as “Taiwan’s Number 1 CTO.” In 2004, Academician Hu set a record in history as the first elected academician of Academia Sinica from the Hsinchu Science Park. Apart from that, Academician Hu has been giving lectures and speeches in many universities and companies all over Taiwan, the US, and China, and he has received the title of “Chancellor’s professor” in the University of California, Berkeley. Over the years, his outstanding students have been working hard in the field of semiconductor worldwide and have made great contributions to the field.

Academician Chenming Calvin Hu has expressed the view that the development of innovative industries depends on the investment of prominent universities and the development of prominent universities, in return, depends on the support of innovative industries. He has used the successful examples of university-industry cooperation like Stanford University and UC Berkeley vis-à-vis the Silicon Valley, University of Washington in Seattle vis-à -vis Microsoft, and UC San Diego vis-à-vis Qualcomm to explain the close relationship between National Chiao Tung University and the Hsinchu Science Park and affirmed the contribution that NCTU has made to large-scale industries and electronic science and technology in Taiwan. He also stressed the interaction and cooperation between NCTU and outstanding enterprises, through joint employment of talents, co-teaching, co-learning and mutual development, will benefit faculty members as well as students. Finally, with gratitude, humbleness and excitement, Academician Hu accepted the Honorary Doctorate from President Yan-Hwa Wu Lee, who conferred the degree on behalf of National Chiao Tung University.

In the speech “Microelectronics: Into an Extra Dimension” given after the award ceremony, Academician Hu introduced the conception of the 3D transmission device “FinFET,” introducing the honorary guests, faculty members and students to the world of semiconductors. At last, he explained that academic innovations should be oriented toward solving practical problems in the industries, for in so doing the academy will not only contribute to the wellbeing of society but will also be highly valued by the industries and earn due social recognition. Consequently, the faculty members and students will be encouraged to fully develop the enthusiasm for and competence in conducting in-depth researches that are peculiar to the academy, and truly achieve the university-industry win-win situation.